Finally the moment has arrived. Millions of dollars has been spent preparing Melbourne and the MCG for the 18th Commonwealth Games.

There was a pre-game show with some backyard cricket complete with rubbish tins and tennis balls apparently.

The ceremony proper will begin in two minutes.

As the ceremony starts, a giant clock counts down the cities that have previously hosted the games ending up at Melbourne. Down the Yarra River are rowers and boats all lit up with lights. We see the fish that have water fountains spraying from them. On each fish is a famous sports person bearing the nation’s flag. Inside the stadium we see a flying tram. Complete with giant wings. It descends into the centre of the stadium and as it lands a giant map of the city is lit up.

Exiting the tram are a group of performers joined by many other performers coming out of other entrances walking down the roads lined out on the map.

In the centre of the stadium stands one group of performers in a C shape as fireworks explode over head and the announcer welcomes everyone to the Commonwealth Games.

They now raise three flags. The Australian Flag, as host nation this year. The flag of England, as the host nation of the last Commonwealth Games. And the flag of India who will host the 19th Commonwealth Games in four years time.

To fanfare, walking out to the platform are the heads of the Games and state officials including Prince Edward and John Howard.

The Queen then arrives in her Rolls Royce and does a lap around the stadium, waving to the crowd as she goes.

She greets all the dignitries before the orchestra plays the National Anthem of Australia and as the entire stadium joins in in song.

The fireworks roar around the stadium and then down the river creating a spectacular show for not only everyone inside the stadium but for the thousands of people lining the Yarra.

The surf boats continue to travel down the river and the pyrotechnics are not just limited to the stadium and the river. Across the rooftops of the many skyscrapers launch more fireworks lighting up the evening sky. It is quite a site as the entire downtown area of Melbourne lights up with sparkling colour.

The pyrotechnics look like bullet tracer fire in many cases, firing off in different directions before exploding in balls of light.

The fireworks cease and all becomes quiet as we return to the MCG.

A young boy stands with a little constructed duck as the flood of performers begin to emerge to a story from Michael Leunig. In Michael Leunig’s poems he talks about people coming together and helping each other. The boy has followed the duck which has now become a person but has gotten stuck on a spire. Some Koala’s are now attempting an aerial rescue while others on the ground shout instructions.

A giant thong/jandal/flip-flop arrives with some koalas rowing it like a boat through the sky.

The boy then falls off the spire and begins to fall as the stadium is plunged into darkness.

We now enter a new sequence as a young woman arrives on a floating boat that travels down the giant ramp that resembles the river. Giant fish and eels are being paraded around like Chinese dragons. The girl now fishes the boy out of the river. They throw stones into the river which appears to clear the river.

The ground then changes to a brilliant red to represent the outback. The music is now a modern day version of an ancient welcome song.

More than 200 tribal Aboriginal elders have contributed to the opening ceremony tonight and some are taking part as volunteers tonight. The 37 language groups from within the state of Victoria are represented by giant cloth pieces as well.

The woman from the boat hands the boy a round ball of light as everyone in the stadium lights their light sticks. A shiny silver motorcyclist and a ballerina appear to represent the chance encounters of the many people of the Commonwealth as The Church sings Under the Milky Way
Ballerinas float through the sky as motorcyclists roar around the outside of the track. The sequence concludes with the floating ballerinas spraying sparks as the boy walks into the centre of the ground with a real duck.
45 minutes in and they’ve cut to an add break so from here on in we’re going to be at least three minutes late I guess.

No Responses to “Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony - Hour One Review”

Greetings and Hello to ALL, my name is Bonita, from South Carolina. Your Blog was easy to navigate, very informative, and it contained the information on the subject I needed for my research paper, Have a nice day!